Over 80 PFI and SDPI activists detained in Karnataka
Bengaluru(PTI): In an eight-hour long operation on Tuesday, the Karnataka police detained over 80 people, mostly office-bearers and members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) from across the state on the basis of intelligence inputs that they were trying to foment trouble in the society.
Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Alok Kumar noted that raids were conducted by the NIA as well as the state police last week. The NIA had at the time secured seven people from Karnataka and the state police 13.
"Continuing with it, we had received information from various agencies; based on that, we have conducted the operation since 3 AM and brought it to halt around 11 AM," Alok Kumar said.
He told reporters that more than 80 people have been secured and they will be produced before the Taluk Executive Magistrates, who will remand them to preventive custody.
"Only after furnishing two sureties- one by a government servant and one by a family member- will they be released," he said.
Those who have been taken into custody have been inciting communal violence, disorder or trying to foment trouble in the society in the past and even now, the senior police officer said.
Kumar said most of them arrested are members of the radical Islamist out PFI, and few are from SDPI, which acts as its political front, and have been very active.
"More than 80 of them have been taken into custody, 20 are still under consideration, we are questioning them and then we will take a decision," he said, adding that state police have done a good job and the highest number of persons have been secured in Karnataka in the operation which is on in various states.
The operation was in various parts of the State including Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Kolar, Raichur, Gadag, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Mandya, Ramanagara, Udupi, Chamarajanagar, Kalaburagi, Hubballi, and Dharwad, official sources said.
The police is said to have seized certain "documents and evidence" during the searches and are inquiring about involvement in anti-social activities.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the police action is a "preventive measure based on certain information".
"It is a preventive measure through tahsildars... police work on a lot of information, based on such information certain preventive measures need to be taken, police have done that. Not only Karnataka, police of all states have done it," he said in response to a question whether there were plans for CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act)-like protests.
PFI activists staged protests in some places condemning the police action.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra too, noting that police action was a precautionary measure said, "The reason (for the police action) is that during the NIA raids and police raids against those involved in terrorist acts recently, these people had tried to arouse some tension."
As they may create tension and disturb peace in future too, they have been taken into custody, as a precautionary measure, the Minister said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
